1 Year of Cultivating Justice

What’s coming next + a two question survey

Jun 18, 2025

The wrong first question is “What do we need to do?” The right first question is “Who do we need to become?”

- Benjamin McBride

One year ago today, the first essay of Cultivating Justice was released, and 34 posts later, here we are. I started this Substack as a way of sharing lessons I learned during my 3 years as an Equity Specialist (teacher on special assignment) for my school district. While I still have much to share, Cultivating Justice will be undergoing a shift moving forward.

As my position as an Equity Specialist was coming to an end, I had a number of BIPOC colleagues tell me, “I’ve never heard a person who looks like you say the things you do.” Interpretation: in their 30, 40, 50+ years, they had never experienced a white person talking about racial justice the way I do. I don’t want this to continue to be the case. I want more people empowered and equipped to talk about racial justice in honest, accessible, and dignifying ways.

Additionally, I’ve had a number of white colleagues share things like, “I know we need more representation in the teaching force. But I’m a middle-aged white woman [educator], and I’m not sure what I can do,” or, “I know how to ‘not be racist,’ but I’m not sure how I can create change when I’m not directly affected.” Similarly, I’ve had people disclose that they feel almost frozen because they only see examples of what not to do (how not to be explicitly racist, prejudiced, etc.), and they also want to avoid “saviorism” or proving their “goodness,” recognizing that that can cause harm in different ways.

What I realized as I listened is that there can be a lack of “mirrors” when you’re a member of dominant culture but you want to be an ally and co-conspirator in the work of justice. How can you do so in ways that not only “do no harm” (a low bar) but actually bring about liberation and healing? There are many reasons it’s difficult to find “mirrors” of true allies who set an example, albeit an imperfect one, because they necessarily are not in the spotlight, but they do exist! For example, can you name a white abolitionist pre-dating the 13th Amendment (abolishing slavery)? They were crucial to the movement while taking a back seat to people like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth. How do we work in partnership and collaboration without centering ourselves?

Share Cultivating Justice with Amy White

With that in mind, the following is the newly refreshed “About” page for Cultivating Justice:

What is Cultivating Justice?

Cultivating Justice with Amy White is a series of essays that equips readers in becoming allies and co-conspirators for justice and equity in order to promote liberation and healing for all.

I write from my perspective as a member of dominant culture who advocates for justice and equity in public education. While my writing is education-focused, many of the topics I share on are applicable to a variety of fields.

Topics include

Developing cultural competency, including culturally proficient teaching practices
Understanding systems of oppression, including unpacking white supremacy culture
Honoring and celebrating various elements of diverse cultures & facets of identity
Healing from the impacts of systems of oppression through valuing our own humanity

The words ending with -ing are all meant to be continual, because we never fully “arrive.” We are always becoming and growing in the work of allyship.

From the philosophical to the practical, join me as I share what I’m learning along the way. The process of cultivating justice is imperfect and ongoing, and I’m honored to be a guide as we become people who seek justice and equity for all groups and all people.

As part of this shift, we have a new logo and banner! There will also be other changes coming in the next few months as I seek to expand the reach of these essays. A big personal announcement is coming in the next essay, so stay tuned!